


Plenty of beauty

by fanthyng_mego



Category: Hetalia: Axis Powers
Genre: Abuse, Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Bad Exes, Emotional/Psychological Abuse, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, M/M, Misgendering, Out of Character, Past Abuse, Swearing, Verbal Abuse, misgendering of a cisgender man for comedic purposses
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-01-22
Updated: 2020-03-16
Packaged: 2021-02-27 08:09:05
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 9,300
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/22363894
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/fanthyng_mego/pseuds/fanthyng_mego
Summary: Antonio is Lovino's on-and-off crazy jealous boyfriend, he gets his paranoid jealous sense tingle when Lud starts to spend more time with Lovi. Lovi is oblivious to Lud's feelings and is exasperated with Toni's jealousy.But Ludwig is not really aware of all that, either.He just has discovered that Lovino Vargas is a very beautiful man.
Relationships: Germany/South Italy (Hetalia), South Italy/Spain (Hetalia)
Comments: 15
Kudos: 43





	1. A beautiful man.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not sure yet where I wanna go with this, if I want to make it very angsty toxic spamano or strangers-to-lovers fluffy germano, but I'll update the tags accordingly when I decide.  
> (Haha imagine if I did both.)  
> (haha)  
> I tagged it as out of character because perhaps some people would percieve this fic as such, but please be aware that I know very well what I'm doing and I've been curating these headcanons and characterizations in my head since forever.

Lovino slammed the math book against the table with a wild, victorious smile on his face, all teeths and bright eyes.

"Please be more careful!" exclaimed Ludwig, stern and surprised by the action. He quickly took the textbook from Lovino's hands, it was an ancient copy from the university's library, bound to cost more than their joint yearly salary. He said as much to Lovino.

Lovino merely laughed, throwing the papers and pencils and notebooks through the air and pushing them off the table in a kind of deranged celebration. Ludwig stoically endured all of it, mostly because none of it hit him, and also because it was the most alive Lovino had looked in all the studying sessions they'd had.

"I'm a fucking genius!!" yelled Lovino. "I'm gonna ace this test!!"

Privately, Ludwig didn't think that doing three math problems in a row without errors guaranteed such certainty in one's abilities, but he kept his mouth shut as Lovino stood from his chair and started dancing around the kitchen in a childish manner, singing praises to himself. Ludwig put his elbow on the table and rested his cheek against his fist, looking. So this was Happy Lovino.

\---

In the university, he was always polished. The typically dark, mysterious italian with clean-cut clothes, expensive watches and gold-framed sunglasses. There was an annoying part of Ludwig’s brain that paid too much attention to handsome men, so he had noticed him. A typical latin lover, the italian only ever smiled to women, always charming with the ladies while he was cold and barely civil to men. Ludwig had no energy for that kind of person, so he had kept at a reasonable distance, considering they once had shared a class. It had been Technical Drawing, and Ludwig had been even more interested in him, since the teacher had praised his work.

The old woman had pulled back her glasses, tapping the student’s sketch. _This draft is flawless, Lovino. Did you drop out of Architecture?_ she asked with genuine curiosity. Lovino had laughed, chin raised and chest puffed with pride. _No, professora. Il mio nonno è un artista! He teached me._

But when, after class, Alfred had reached him with his easygoing smile to see if he could help him figure what he was doing wrong with some of his homework, Lovino had merely looked at him coldly. _I don’t have the time._

That’s why it had been a surprise to have him seat next to him in the exterior tables of the most popular university snack bar, a loud _Buonasera_ coming from his mouth.

The chair had rattled a bit when he pulled it to sit. He had taken of his sunglasses off, and dark eyelashes framed those typically italian eyes, like dark molten ambar. His eye contact almost too intense to hold.

Thankfully, Lovino had turned to Kiku first.

“Honda-san?” he had asked, and both Kiku and Ludwig had jumped at the usage of the name and the honorific. Most people didn’t know or bothered with japanese etiquette, and Kiku had sort of become used to it. It was nonetheless a nice consideration. “So, you’re Mei’s cousin. Nice to meet you.”

Kiku looked a bit bewildered, but recovered quickly, back to his impassive composure. Lovino had a hand stretched towards him in a business-like manner, and Kiku shook it.

“You know my cousin?”

“Yeah, we took the marketing class together.” He turned towards Ludwig, showing him an impersonal smile of nice, even teeth. “You are?”

“Ludwig Beilschmidt.” he answered. Lovino’s smile grew slightly wider if not warmer, but he didn’t extend his hand so Ludwig didn’t either.

“I’m sorry to interrupt your meal.” He said, gesturing vaguely at the remaining gelato they were sharing. “Mei mentioned you had a german friend that was good at math and looking for people to tutor.” He said to Kiku. Then he turned to Ludwig. “Perhaps you are the one?”

“My only other german friend is Gilbert, and he is not very good at math.” confirmed Kiku.

“... Yes, I had been thinking about it.” said Ludwig.

Gilbert had been kicked from yet another bartender job, and what their parents sent was barely enough to pay rent. He thought he had to secure some sort of income, even if Gilbert’s savings would most likely kept them fed until he found a new gig. He was starting to feel guilty to have his older brother pay for everything.

“How about you lend me a hand, then?” said Lovino, charmingly. “I really need to pass math. How much the hour? seven euros is okay?”

Ludwig frowned a bit. Behind Lovino, Kiku shook his head in a clear _no_ , but Ludwig didn’t need the warning. It sounded cheap.

“Let me think about it.” he said.

“Sure.” answered Lovino. “Can I get your number?”

Ludwig dictated his number to Lovino, and then he felt his phone vibrate in his pocket.

“There. I called you, so save my number so you can tell me when you’re ready.” he said, and extended his hand for a handshake. Ludwig shook it, strangely feeling like he had already agreed even though he hadn’t. Lovino shook Kiku’s hand too then left.

“Felt like an interview.” commented Kiku. 

Ludwig nodded, pulling out his phone. “Seven euros?”

“Don’t take that.” recommended Kiku, taking a spoonful of gelato. “Yong Soo is charging ten the hour, and he is severely underselling himself.”

“Hmm. I’ll ask Gilbert.” he hesitated over the contact profile registration. Putting only _Lovino_ felt oddly personal, but he hadn’t cared to learn his last name. Kinda odd that Lovino had not introduced himself, specially if he apparently did not remember Ludwig from class. He merely typed _Lovino Armani_ , for the man’s usually tasteful clothes, and pocketed his phone before Kiku ate all the remaining frosted delicacy.

Gilbert had screamed “That cheap ass!” in a booming german when Ludwig had told him about the encounter, and set a conference call with his two best friends to debate about a good price. They had bounced yelled speculations in english and italian between them, going from twenty five to fifteen before setting in twenty. “Thanks guys! See you guys friday!” exclaimed Gilbert before closing the call, still hearing his friends screaming _Good luck!_ and _Don’t let him scam you!_.

Ludwig took a sip of water.

“Ugh, those loud rascals.” said Gilbert, nose wrinkled.

“Why are you complaining?” deadpanned Ludwig. “You are all the same.”

“What? I’m an angel!” he waved his phone in one hand and pointed at it with the other. “These two devils are trying to corrupt me!”

Ludwig smiled looking at his brother, not for the first time surprised and trying to match the responsible and protective Gilbert from back home with this easygoing Gilbert he found in Italy.

“You are almost native now.”

“What? You mean I’m like an italian?” he raised an eyebrow. “Odd, since I’ve been spending all my free time with this spanish nightmare and this french heart-attack.” He smiled a bit. “But I guess we all have had plenty of socializing with the locals. Reason you should be going out more, too.”

“I’m about to be hanging out with a local, remember?”

“Yeah, perhaps you should tell him to help you with your italian if he wants a discount.”

Ludwig frowned. “My italian is fine.”

“... Sure.” said Gilbert, noncommittal. “It can be like when Alfred helped you with your english!”

“My english was good before Alfred!” complained Ludwig.

“The accent, though.”

Ludwig frowned deeper. Gilbert laughed. “Come on! Hanging with that cute japanese friend of yours is not going to help your language proficiency. You have stopped having german accent when you speak english, but you have started having japanese accent! Be the good influence, instead of letting him influence you badly!.”

Gilbert smiled more now, and was more easygoing, but there Ludwig saw the strict older brother he remembered. He perhaps had just learned to mask his scolding as suggestions. It was oddly soothing to have his brother back, if a bit annoying. The year Gilbert had suddenly decided to study abroad and gotten a scholarship and actually left had been quite a shock to the whole family.

“And practice your italian too! You are only speaking english at uni!”

Ludwig snorted, pretending to be more annoyed than he actually was. “Yeah, mom.”

Gilbert laughed loudly, ruffling his hair. “Good to hear, son!”

He felt home.

All that had taken him to this kitchen. At the beginning of their Evening Study Sessions, once the deal had been set, it didn’t took much for Lovino to drop the paper-thin charming facade and show himself as the moody, fiery tempered, impatient macho he was. He cussed freely while looking for solutions to the problems, nagged Ludwig, stood and paced the whole apartment in frustration.

Ludwig had stayed despite all that, not knowing well why. Once, Lovino was in one of his worst moods, and stabbed the paper viciously. Ludwig was about to say he was leaving, and that Lovino should call him once he decided to act like an adult.

Lovino placed the tortured pencil firmly and violently on the table, and looked at Ludwig with such an intensity that he feared a punch was coming. Then, suddenly, all fight dropped from Lovino. He rubbed his face with his hands, placed them loudly on the table and looked back at Ludwig with much more civility.

“I’m taking you to eat dinner!”

Those words struck Ludwig dumb. Lovino evidently didn’t see anything odd, for he was already standing, grabbing his coat from the living room hanger. That was even odder. _Are you going to go out so disheveled?_ Ludwig almost asked. Lovino hadn’t changed into his house-clothes yet, but the clothes he had worn at uni were crumpled and messy, and his hair was a bit wild. That was an state Ludwig had assumed Lovino reserved for the privacy of his home, as it was so contrasting with his polished looks at university.

Lovino looked at him expectantly, keys on his hand.

“Are you okay?” asked Ludwig.

“What?” asked Lovino in shock. “Are _you_ okay? Move! I can’t even stand myself, and I know you can’t either, so we’re going to get some dinner.”

Ludwig looked at the stove, then at the unsolved math problem on the stabbed paper sheet, and then back at Lovino.

Lovino frowned. “I ain’t cooking, and I ain’t doing more math! Jesus, only _you_ would be so difficult when presented with free food!”

That cleared all doubts from Ludwig’s mind. He stood, took his bag and jacket as Lovino opened the door, and them both got out of the apartment, walking down the stairs.

“You live on top of a bakery.” remarked Ludwig needlessy. “Perhaps a _panino…_ ”

Lovino looked at him with murderous eyes. “When I say I’ll take someone to eat dinner, know that I never, ever mean _fucking panini_.”

Ludwig pressed his lips. _Pretentious italian_.

They walked the streets, and Ludwig found that Lovino’s easy but fast strut was both hard to follow and extremely distracting. He looked like he owned the city. But again, didn’t all italians walk like that? Milan was a fashion Mecca, and it’s citizens showed that.

Lovino went through small streets, looking behind every so often to see if Ludwig followed, but never stopping his pace, which Ludwig found a bit inconsiderate, and then he stopped abruptly at the entrance of a small business.

It’s sign read _Trattoria di Agnese_.

“You are out of shape.” teased Lovino.

“I haven’t… exactly… been working out.” said Ludwig, wiping the sweat off his forehead with the back of his hand.

Lovino shamelessly looked at Ludwig’s body. “Then you’ll have to tell me how you keep the muscles.”

Ludwig felt uncomfortably hot all over the face, his ears and cheeks burning. Lovino, however, didn’t pause for an answer or even to see the reaction his words had warranted, merely entering the establishment. Ludwig had always been… big. But a few months in Italy and a lot of gelato had been making him feel more in the side of _fat_ than _muscular_ , specially since he hadn’t touched a gym after leaving Germany.

He guessed it was just his metabolism.

He wondered why Lovino noticed.

He really shouldn’t overthink it.

Ludwig entered the _trattoria_ , and it was nicely lit and cozy inside. Small tables and nice pictures hanged of the wall. He saw the table Lovino was sitting at, already chatting with the waitress. The girl smiled and giggled, and Ludwig had a hard time following their fast italian banter. He was surprised when he heard Lovino use the term _amico_ , referring to him. Were they friends? Or perhaps Lovino just thought it was awkward to tell the waitress he was dining with a classmate.

The waitress nodded, looking happy, then left. Lovino looked at him, eyebrows raised and a small pleased smile.

_No_ . Thought Ludwig. _He wouldn’t call anybody a friend if he didn’t mean it_.

“Hmm, is she bringing the menus?”

Lovino frowned. “No. I ordered for us.”

“Hmm.”

A small silence passed.

“You aren’t allergic to anything, are you?”

“ _Nein_.”

Lovino tapped his fingers to the table. Ludwig finally remembered the word _grazie_.

“Thank you for… inviting me… dinner.” he said in rusty italian. Lovino winced.

Perhaps his italian wasn’t as good as he thought.

“ _Prego_ .” answered Lovino. _You’re welcome_. Then he continued in italian. “Your pronunciation is extremely shitty, we can keep speaking english if you want.”

“I need to practice.” said Ludwig.

Lovino laughed. “Yeah, you do.”

The waitress came to their table with glasses of water and bread. “Lovi, did I hear you saying rude words?”

“I’m sorry, beautiful!” he apologized theatrically, a hand on his chest. “Never again if you marry me.”

She giggled. “I’d never marry a bad-mouthed kid like you!”

“You are keeping me from redemption, then, Emilia! How you break my heart!”

She giggled again, then looked at Ludwig, “Help him pick his heart’s broken pieces, I’m busy!” she exclaimed, then left.

“Women, all heartless.” commented Lovino, fond.

“She is your friend?” asked Ludwig.

“We are frequent customers.” answered Lovino. He looked a little bit weirded out every time Ludwig formulated words in italian, but his shoulders relaxed. The Lovino studying math and this Lovino almost belonged to different species, this one being all joyful.

“We?”

“My brothers and I.” he clarified. “I’ve talked to you about them, haven’t I?”

“Yes… I thought only... one of them lived with you.”

“Feliciano.” said Lovino. “and there is also Renato, who comes to bother sometimes. He doesn’t live far, he is in Capriate San Gervasio, with our grandpa. Feliciano and I go there on the weekends.”

“Like good italian grandsons.”

Lovino smiled. “Exactly.”

“Why don’t I see Feliciano?”

Lovino frowned. “He is a rascal.”

“What?” said Ludwig, unsure of what to say to that. He supposed _Che?_ would be enough, since he didn’t feel confident enough to say _Mamma mia!_.

“Dropped law school to become an artist. We all told him there was nothing more creatively demanding than interpreting italian law, but he said he’d rather make beautiful things.” he sighed. “At last he’s got talent. But he wastes it staying up late, getting in trouble for photographing people without asking first. At last when he takes pictures of cats he doesn’t get in trouble.”

“Oh.” said Ludwig, impressed.

Lovino smiled devilishly and pointed behind Ludwig. He almost felt scared until Lovino said “See that picture over there?”

Ludwig turned, and saw between two paintings of the italian countryside there was a black and white picture, a man in heavy contrast with a city background that Ludwig recognized as Florence. Then Ludwig gasped, recognizing the man in the picture. It was Lovino.

He looked extremely sensual, serious gaze in shadow as he gave his back to the sun, chin tilted slightly upwards, defying.

“I should drop university and become a model, shouldn’t I?” joked Lovino.

Ludwig weighed heavily his words. “You… could.”

Lovino laughed. “Nah, better not. Someone has got to be the sensible one in the family. Renato, he _does_ want to be a model, God save us all. But he keeps eating too much pizza.”

Ludwig shrugged. “There are fat models. Feliciano doesn’t photograph him?”

“He does.” Lovino admitted. “But he also smiles too much. Who would have thought that to be a model you had to learn not to smile so much.”

“He’s got it rough, then.”

“He also wants to be a football player. And opera singer.” confessed Lovino, full of grief.

Ludwig laughed quietly. “Ambitious man.”

“Crazy kid. At last he doesn’t want to be pope, like uncle Alessandro.”

“Your uncle wants to be pope.” repeated Ludwig, shocked.

“Oh, no.” said Lovino grimly. “He _is_ going to be pope.”

Ludwig definitely didn’t know what to say to that.

“So.” continued Lovino casually. “Your brother lives with you here also?”

“Yes.” answered Ludwig, still not sure if Lovino had been just kidding or not. “I missed him, I’m glad I live with him again.” 

“He is much older than you?”

“Two years.” Ludwig raised two fingers, in case he had actually said another number than two. He was not sure.

Lovino smiled. “You just reminded me of a joke. I’ll tell you later. What’s your brother’s name?”

“Gilbert.”

“Oh, cool.” said Lovino, even though his frown didn’t seem to be cool with that. “He studies too, right?”

“Yes… architecture.”

Lovino’s eyes widened. He took his phone out of his pocket, wildly tapping and scrolling. Ludwig grew anxious, he had no idea what was wrong. He prayed that Gilbert hadn’t gotten in a fistfight with Lovino or something.

Lovino showed the screen of his phone at Ludwig.

There it was a picture of Gilbert, sleepy and with his reading glasses on, hugging his big chicken plushie, sitting in an unfamiliar sofa.

Other _worse_ alternative crossed Ludwig’s mind. _Oh please, don’t let it be that Gilbert hooked up with Lovino_.

He wouldn’t have dared to think that Lovino liked men, mostly for his own mental sanity, _but_.

He started to breath again after he remembered that Gilbert had sworn off men after the Roderich fiasco. Which had been a bit hypocritical. But right now, a blessing. _Unless_.

“He is your brother!” exclaimed Lovino, accurately interpreting Ludwig’s shock. “You don’t look alike! at all!”

That comment sobered Ludwig up a bit. “Whe have different mothers.”

“Oh.”

“Dad divorced before Gilbert was born. Then divorced my mom when I was five. He married again, but thankfully got a…” Ludwig had no idea what the word for _vasectomy_ was in italian. “He can’t have more children.”

“ _Vasectomia_?” asked Lovino. Ah. He should have guessed.

“Yes.”

Lovino looked at the picture on his phone, then at Ludwig. Then he did it once more, slower.

“He’s my ex’s best friend. One of my ex’s best friends.” he explained.

_Thank God._

“Oh.”

Lovino cheered up suddenly, fumbling with his phone and pointing the camera at Ludwig’s face. “Smile! I’ll send him your picture.”

Ludwig felt himself relax. Gilbert would like that, he would be so surprised to see that the _cheap ass_ was actually a friend of him… uh. His friend’s ex. Friend? Friend’s ex?

He heard himself say “Why not a selfie?”

“Yeah, you are right!” Lovino turned around, and Ludwig smiled to the phone’s camera. Once the picture was taken, Lovino turned back on his seat and texted the picture to Gilbert. “I like your brother. He is crazy, but we still talk sometimes. Who I don’t like is the other frog. And of course, my ex.”

Friend of Gilbert too, then.

“I don’t really know Gilbert’s friends.” Ludwig admitted.

“Better that way” brooded Lovino.

“ _Due Risotto alla milanese!_ ” said the cheerful waitress. Ludwig quietly stored in his mind that _due_ did in fact mean _two_. Now if he only could remember the rest of the numbers… “And some wine for you, fine young gentlemen.”

“A thousand thank yous, beautiful.” said Lovino. She poured two glasses and told them not to hesitate to ask for more. When she left, Lovino whispered “Please, do hesitate when asking for more, I’m not exactly swimming in money.”

“This is too much.” said Ludwig guilty. He didn’t actually _know_ ... but, wasn’t _risotto_ something expensive too? 

Lovino frowned. “Shush. Don’t make that face, you are my friend and have put up with me longer than anyone would have. I want to treat you. I can actually afford some more glasses of wine, if you want.”

“I can pay half.”

“ _Uffa!_ ” chastized Lovino. “Just say thank you.”

Ludwig smiled sheepishly. “Thank you. You are insufferable, but I also like you. God knows why.”

“Stop talking shit and eat. I’m a fucking delight.”

Ludwig took a bite. Then the next. He wasn’t too convinced about the texture… but the _flavor_ …

“This is… delightful.” he commented, taking a sip of wine.

Lovino was definitely enjoying his food. “I _know_ . And you wanted _fucking panini_.”

“What do you have against panini?”

“Nothing at all, just promise me you won’t eat them in the bakery under my apartment, please.”

“They are bad?”

“Awful.”

“I promise.”

They ate in silence, happily busy with the delicious dishes and the sweet wine. Then Ludwig grew curious.

“You guys must really like this place, and they must really like you.” he said, referring to Lovino and his brothers.

“We are well loved everywhere.” said Lovino proudly. “and we really like this place. But that is all Feliciano. He gives art away like it’s his mission to fill the world with it. Didn’t charge a penny for the picture. I told him he’s gonna die poor.”

“Bad business skills, then.”

“But big heart.” emphasized Lovino. “And once he graduates I’ll be his manager.”

Ludwig frowned. “I thought you were… an Engineer. In agronomy.”

Lovino smiled. “I’m a double major. Or I’ll be. Agronomy and Business.”

Ludwig’s curiosity, instead of shrinking, grew. “Business for your brother… and Agronomy?”

“No, no. Business is for myself. And Agronomy too. I’ve always wanted to have my own vineyard.”

Ludwig’s eyes widened in amazement.

“My grandfather had always wanted that, too, but he choose a stable paycheck over his dream. He kind of passed the dream onto me. But it is also my dream. Do you understand?”

“I do.” Ludwig smiled. “It’s a shared dream. But also, I can’t help but see it as… Business for your brother, Agronomy for your grandfather.”

Lovino’s mouth twisted a little in consideration. “Well, it’s not _wrong_.”

They finished eating in comfortable silence, and suddenly Ludwig felt full of wonder. He had been planning to spend his evening binge watching some episodes of a series Gilbert had been nagging him to see. And here he was.

Eating delicious food, drinking delicious wine, in a beautiful place, with the good company of… a beautiful man.

He really should not overthink this.

“I think we’re done here?” he said, not actually in any kind of hurry.

Lovino’s small smile appeared in the corners of his lips, and in his eyes. “Wait.”

He turned around, and the waitress came. Ludwig had assumed she came with the check, but she actually laid two more dishes in front of them as she retired the previous ones. She winked at Ludwig’s dumbfounded face.

“Fiori di zucca.” said Lovino. _Zucchini flower_. Lovino gestured towards the plates. “Go on. It doesn't bite. Taste it.”

Ludwig stabbed a flower with his fork and took a bite. It was so soft… crunchy and fresh, he had to close his eyes. He never wanted to leave Italy, or eat another reheated convenience-store-ramen ever again.

Lovino laughed. Ludwig opened his eyes after the flash of a camera showed through his eyes. “Sorry, I got to text this to Gilbert.”

“No, stop that.” complained Ludwig. “Don’t!”

“Sorry, it’s done!” said Lovino, not sounding sorry at all. Ludwig tried to take the phone, but Lovino pocketed it quickly. He could have tried harder, but there was a risk of accidentally tipping over the wine glasses, so he desisted. The flowers were more interesting than revenge.

Once they were done and Lovino payed, they were out on the street. This time Lovino was three times more relaxed, so his stroll was much more slow. Ludwig was grateful for that, as it meant they could both walk side by side. 

“Why did you want to become a Civil Engineer?” asked Lovino.

The question took Ludwig by surprise. Then he smiled. “I like to build things. Always have. Lego houses. Bird houses. Three houses. I had thought three houses were a thing only for movies, you know? but then my mom one day was like, _sure, why not?_ and I couldn’t believe it until she bought the wood. Then we built the house. She, Gilbert, and I. Grandpa cheered. It’s… it’s the best thing somebody has done for me.”

“That’s… the sweetest fucking thing. Jesus.” he said, eyebrows up, impressed. He blinked incredulously a couple of times, then quickly recovered he joked. “So you have experience on the field already!”

“Ha! I was born for it.” he said, and he felt odd for it. Saying it to anyone else would have sounded arrogant, but he knew… Lovino would understand.

And Lovino’s wild smile said he did.

“Today, I’m glad I decided to go out instead of setting fire to my kitchen.” said Lovino reflexively. “And that I got the _Macho Patata_ to eat some real food.”

“German food is real food. Don’t call me that! And potatoes are a gift from heaven, during the dark ages they were the main food source for europe.”

Lovino squinted his eyes. “Even if that it’s true, do you notice we are not in the dark ages? You don’t have to eat potato every day.”

Ludwig shrugged. “I like potatoes.”

“ _Macho Patata_.”

“I told you I don’t like that name.”

They reached the main street. “Should I walk you home like a good gentleman, my lady?” joked Lovino, looking up at him with mischievous eyes. 

Ludwig’s heart boomed in his chest. 

“To the metro at last, jerk.” he said when he recovered.

They continued walking.

“What was the joke you didn’t tell me?” asked suddenly Ludwig.

“Oh!” said Lovino, delighted. “There was once a barbarian germanic man on an ancient roman bar.”

Ludwig snorted.

“He was very tall, very buff, very blonde. An absolute barbarian. He sat on that bar, and raised two fingers.” Lovino raised the index and the middle finger, like Ludwig had done earlier in the restaurant. “ _Beer, please_ , he said. He intended to ask for two beers, one to eat before the meal and one for after. But, alas! the maid brought beer after beer! He ended up with five beers on his table. He said, oh, why so many, I only asked for two! And the roman maid said, _No, sir, you asked for five!_ ”

Lovino raised the two fingers again, and it dawned on him.

The two fingers formed a V.

The roman number for five, the V.

Lovino laughed.

“It is a very bad joke.”

“No it’s not!” said Lovino. “You got no sense of humor!”

“God, who even told you that? It’s awful.”

Lovino’s eyes turned sad. “Really...? I laughed so hard the first time I heard it… must be that I didn’t said it right.”

Ludwig worried. “Hmm.” he tried to add, casually. “Don’t be so down. You might still have future as a comedian, just get better jokes.”

Lovino smiled, half sad still. “Jury is still out. It might just be that you are humorless.”

They reached the entrance of the metro station. Lovino patted his arm.

“See you tomorrow, friend.”

“See you tomorrow, friend.” repeated Ludwig, the italian words rolling easily on his tongue. Lovino smiled, approvingly.

Suddenly Ludwig had an intense desire to hear Lovino say those same words, but in german. He almost asked for it.

But, inexplicably, it had felt like too much.

He had nodded, turning around, descending into the metro.

\---

And now he was there. In that same kitchen, enjoying his friend’s joy.

And he was content with only watching.

Until Lovino threw himself on him.

In his victorious dance of self-praise, Lovino had danced around the kitchen joyously with the same intensity in which he had previously paced it angrily. Then he had stood, eyes bright and hopeful, and without thinking about it… because that’s what friends did, perhaps… he threw himself at Ludwig while he was still sitting in the kitchen chair, hugging him tightly.

Lovino’s arms wrapped around his shoulders and head, pressing him against the soft fabric of his shirt, the warm firmness of his chest. Ludwig felt big and clumsy as he awkwardly put his hands on Lovino’s back, ever so softly. Afraid.

Lovino didn’t let go. He pressed his cheek to the top of Ludwig’s head and said. “I owe you, big time. You’re the best. I’ll cook you all the potatoes you want.”

Ludwig laughed inside the hold at the ridiculousness of the comment. “You’ve gone mad!”

Lovino let him go, and walked backwards a few steps, hands spread wide to his sides. “Exactly! I’m a mad genius, and nobody can stop me!” Lovino went towards the music speakers and connected his phone. Immediately, a sweet voice sounded through the speakers.

_Tonight, I'm gonna have myself... a real good time… I feel alive...!_

_Don’t stop me now_ by Queen was blasting, and Lovino started jumping all over the living room. He pushed the tea table away to make an improvised dance floor, he gestured Ludwig to join him, and Ludwig stood from his seat.

_Don’t stop me now!_

_‘Cause I’m having a good time!_

Lovino sang breathlessly to the song, dancing wildly. 

Ludwig’s phone buzzed.

Unthinkingly, he checked the text. It was Gilbert.

Little Bro come home NOW IMMEDIATELY !!!!!1!1!!!! this is an EMERGENCY!!! I NEED MANPOWER!!!

Lovino was laughing, and then he turned to pull Ludwig into the dance, and he almost did until he noticed his face. Instead of dragging him by the arm to the center of the living room, he merely rested his palm on his big bicep, rubbing in a soothing manner.

“What?”

Ludwig showed him the text.

“Um. Is it serious?” Said Lovino, arching a brow.

“No so serious, judging by the choice of words and the exclamation points. Probably a rat got into the apartment. Or something.”

“He’d call you for _that_?”

“Well, you did ask me once to kill a cockroach for you.”

“You were closer to it…”

“I wasn’t…”

“And you’re bigger!”

“What does it got to do with anything? It was a _cockroach_ , not a crocodile.”

“Whatever, ok? Next time we have to fight a crocodile, I’ll do it. I’ll take the crocodiles and you take the cockroaches.”

Ludwig snorted.

Then he looked sadly at the text. He went and grabbed his bag. “I can’t stay for the dance party.”

Lovino nodded. “I’ll walk you to the metro.”

Ludwig almost commented something like _I’m not a maid in the need of assistance_. Then the part of him that was sure of his masculinity noticed he would much like the company.

And they walked. In the entrance of the metro system, their usual parting spot, Lovino broke into a huge grin, like he just had an idea he loved.

Ludwig sometimes feared those smiles.

“Are you aware that you owe me a dance?” asked Lovino.

“What?” asked Ludwig.

“I’ll take you clubbing!” declared Lovino excitedly. “I haven’t gone clubbing since forever! We’ll dance all night!”

Ludwig just blinked at him. Lovino laughed, pushing him so he would get going.

They waved at each other.

Ludwig had only every been clubbing with Gilbert, and he had felt oddly chaperoned the whole time. Going with Lovino would be another thing entirely…

Something he was eager to experience.


	2. Fatally Attracted to Beauty

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Antonio comes for what is his.  
> Lovino has the streght to push him away?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thank you very much for those who commented on the first chapter! You all made me very happy!!  
> I decided to do the angsty spamano. This is an abusive relationship, so if you are sensitive to the topic please don't trigger yourself nedlessy by reading this. I plan for the next chapter to be happier.  
> This might end being four chapters instead of three, but I'm not sure yet!

Lovino walked fast because that’s how he intended to live most of his life. Among many of Renato’s interests, he had gotten a liking of the Formula 1 because of him.

He knew, though, that there were things worth taking time on. Stopping. Enjoying. Savouring. Those pleasures designed to delight the senses.

Walking was not one of them.

Specially when one went back to a lonely apartment. Vaguely he wondered if he should call Feliciano and inquire of his whereabouts, for he was always up to something interesting. But the little shit had not texted him all day, not even a cat picture, and that always almost meant one of two things: a  _ date  _ with a model of the figure drawing class or illegal shenanigans like trespassing property to take pictures of someone’s yard.

He decided he would rather take a nap if he had to be picking his brother from some police station later.

As he passed the bakery towards the door of the building he lived in, he looked and saw one of the clerks raise a middle finger at him. He boringly responded with another. He mostly had a cordial relationship with his neighbours, except for the fact that these bakers had to own up to the fact that they made shitty panini and Lovino wasn’t going to let them live in denial.

Maybe if he hadn’t bothered to return the gesture he would have been fast enough to avoid what followed.

He felt a hand on his shoulder.

He half turned, fist ready to throw the knockout punch his grandpa had teached him, when he saw a beautiful smile and warm forest eyes he knew very well. He almost wanted to throw the punch anyway.

“What the  _ fuck  _ do you want?” spat Lovino in english.

“Just to talk.” said kindly the man, charming accent giving a hint of sun to his words.

“Like I owe you that. Like I care.” snarled Lovino. “Call the suicide hotline.”

Sadness filled the man’s face like rainwater filled a pond. He uttered some words in spanish. “ _ Please, just a moment _ .” 

Lovino’s fighting stance dropped. His words were still biting, though. “I  _ will  _ punch you.”

“ _ Por favor _ .” the man repeated.

This was Lovino’s main problem, it was a sort of family thing. He was fatally attracted to beauty.

Especially the kind of natural beauty Antonio Fernández possessed.

“Like I’ll let you in my apartment.” said Lovino, crossing his arms.

Antonio looked a bit paler since he last time he had seen him. His rich dark brown hair still curled luxuriously and messily, even though it was longer. His pout was as lovely as ever.

“The things I want to tell you are better said in private.” murmured Antonio.

Lovino felt a shudder run throw his back. He tightened his fists.

“Oh, if you don’t leave now, I will cut you into pieces and drown you in a river.”

“...Shouldn’t the drowning precede the cutting?” joked Antonio with a small sad smile.

He was so lovely that Lovino’s reaction could not be anything but violent and visceral. He forcefully grabbed a fistful of Antonio’s jacket, ready to push him to the floor and  _ kick him to death _ , but Antonio seemed to be waiting for that, and he firmly grabbed both of Lovino’s shoulders, forcing him to stand still, and they both struggled a bit in this odd embrace.

“Vargas?” called a loud voice from the bakery, in deep milanese accent. “Trouble?”

Lovino pushed Antonio off him, and turned towards the bakery.

“Yes!” yelled back Lovino.

“No!” yelled Antonio, and continued in flawless italian. “Just a lover’s spat, Mr. Cantù!”

Lovino threw a fist at him, Antonio dodged it.

“You’re scaring the client’s, boy!”

“Sorry!”

Lovino went to choke him, but Antonio grabbed his hands. He held them against his chest.

“See? We need to talk.” murmured Antonio in soft english. “We are a mess.”

Lovino breathed heavily, anger and hurt pierced his chest. “Let go of me, you stalker psycho.”

“Are you giving up on me? Are you giving up on us? Forever?” said Antonio, holding Lovino’s hands tightly. His deep voice vibrated and echoed inside Lovino’s heart. 

Lovino thought of kicking him in the groin.

“Please.” said Antonio.

“Let. Go.”

Antonio dropped his hands and Lovino rubbed them self consciously. He felt the stares of dozens of eyes, vaguely heard them commenting on how embarrassing an spectacle they were making.

He felt his eyes prickling with tears.

“I’m not your lover.” Lovino grunted.

“Well, I  _ am  _ your lover. Because I love you.”

Lovino took a step back. “I’m too tired to talk... We have  _ nothing  _ to talk about.”

“Please.” said Antonio, taking a step forward into Lovino’s space.

Lovino gave his back to Antonio, walked towards the door. Antonio followed close by.

“ _ God _ .” murmured Lovino quietly to himself. “ _ How do I get rid of him? _ ”

Lovino couldn’t see, but Antonio smiled wildly upon hearing that.

He didn’t even had to force his way in, Lovino merely left the door open after himself.

Antonio felt like he had already won.

\---

“You haven’t been answering Emma’s texts”

Lovino looked at him with resentful narrowed eyes. “She is always bothering me about you. It’s like you have hijacked our relationship too.”

They were standing on opposite sides of the apartment. Antonio was on the sofa, close to the door, while Lovino sat on the kitchen counter, near the back window. 

“She is just worried.”

“Everybody is on your side!” exploded Lovino. “Like I’m some kind of whore!”

“I have  _ never  _ called you that! I  _ never  _ will!”

“You honestly want me to believe you haven’t been talking to them behind my back?”

“I haven’t!”

“Govert! told me!  _ you  _ were  _ just worried _ ! because you wanted!  _ to settle down _ ! and I was still  _ acting  _ like a  _ teenager _ !”

Antonio pressed his lips, looking insulted. “I  _ never even _ talked to him about it.”

“Oh so you never talked to anyone!” cried Lovino. “Yet everybody thinks I’m a loose whore who goes after men and you are a saint!”

“You are making it bigger than it is!”

“I’m sick of you! I’m sick of not being able to have friends because of your jealousy! I’m sick of you popping out of nowhere to monitor me! I’m sick of being made to feel guilty for having a life outside of you!”

Antonio stood. Lovino panicked. “ _ Stay away from me! _ ”

“Listen to me!” screamed Antonio. “You always act like this!”

Antonio crossed the living room into the kitchen, and Lovino quickly moved to keep the kitchen table between them.

“This is ridiculous!”

“You are  _ not  _ going to touch me!”

Antonio grabbed the table to move it away, but Lovino grabbed the other side and kept it in place. It rattled against the floor. “We can not talk like this!”

“I know the script, you asshole! You just want to fuck me and pretend nothing happened, and unless you can convince me you are suddenly a changed man and will stop  _ checking my fucking phone, calling my fucking grandpa to see if I’m truly home during the weekend _ ,  _ destroying my fucking clothes so I don’t go out _ ,  _ and locking me in your fucking car _ , you will never touch me again in this life or the next!”

Antonio’s face was cold like the desert at night. Lovino vaguely feared he would climb on top of the table to get to him.

“Calm down.” said Antonio, flat voice.

Lovino trembled with rage.

“We have been together for  _ ten years _ . You are talking like I do that stuff  _ everyday _ !” exclaimed Antonio, sounding oh-so-reasonable. “And what about all the good things I’ve done for you? All I have given you?”

Lovino stared at him.

“I’m the only one who has always been there for you! I’m the only one who will be there for you! I’m the only one who can take your bad moods and understand you! An yet! I make mistakes and you are  _ never  _ able to truly forgive me!”

“ _ Fuck you _ .” said Lovino, coldly.

Antonio went livid. Careful and slow he placed the heels of his hands on top of his eyes and pressed, as if he had headache. “When are you going to stop punishing me? I can’t take it anymore…! And you say all that, as if you have never given me reasons to doubt. As if you are not fucking Gilbert’s brother already!”

Lovino felt cold all over, as if he had fallen on a alpine river. “ _ What _ .”

Quick and violent, Antonio kicked the table out of the way and stormed towards Lovino. Lovino felt the wall hit his back when there was no more room to back into. Without breaking eye contact, Antonio took his phone and put it uncomfortably close to Lovino’s face. In it there was a picture Lovino himself had posted on facebook, of Ludwig and Lovino, smiling over some breakfast. 

Lovino had blocked Antonio on facebook, so he vaguely wondered how he could have gotten that picture.

Lovino thought of pushing Antonio away from his space. Lovino thought of locking himself on his room and calling his grandpa. 

Lovino took a deep breath.

“How does that prove I’m fucking him?”

“Do I have to play detective?” asked Antonio, poisonous in sarcasm. “You hate to cook, you hate mornings, you-”

“Why do you think it is any of your business if I’m fucking him?”

“Because you’re coming back to me!” screamed Antonio to Lovino’s face. “And I’ll kill him for touching you!”

Lovino felt an odd sort of deathly calm wash over him as the truth dawned on. Antonio had left him alone all those weeks because Lovino had been acting like a hermit, going from class to home and home to class, too depressed to to anything but study and wait for Feliciano to come home and chatter about his day. 

Now that Lovino was hanging out with somebody, Antonio had come to claim what was his.

Lovino felt the tears running down his cheeks and noticed he was crying.

He was finally seeing it clearly, and he almost wanted to ask,  _ So is that the only reason that you are back?  _ He wanted to see if Antonio knew or cared how much he hurt him.

Antonio looked at him wide eyed, scared.

Lovino tried to distance himself walking towards the sofa, but Antonio held his arm. “Love?”

“Shut it, shut up.” said Lovino, struggling to get out of Antonio’s grip, almost choking with tears “I’m tired of fighting you. It’s never ending with you.”

“It doesn’t… it doesn’t have to be a fight.” said Antonio softly, letting go of Lovino’s arm.

Lovino walked towards the sofa and crumbled there, elbows on his knees and hands on his face.

Antonio felt cold fear spread through his chest. 

Things weren’t going as planned, and Lovino was acting completely opposite to what he was used to. In the past, their quarrels had been full of fire and their reconciliations had been equally emotive. This passive detachedness was worrying. Antonio walked towards Lovino and kneeled in front of him, he tried to remove Lovino’s hands from his face, but at Lovino’s resistance, he settled for rubbing Lovino’s arms in which he hoped was a comforting way. Lovino tolerated the attention stoically. 

Antonio clasped Lovino’s arms tightly, his gaze held with intense focus on Lovino’s hands, hoping they would uncover the face he had loved for so long. There was no doubt on him that they would get back together, they always did. But Lovino was not one to mope about stuff like this...

After a long while, Antonio’s knees started to hurt, and he was about to say something about sleeping it off and talking tomorrow when Lovino finally looked back at him.

His bloodshot eyes were still full of unshed tears.

Antonio’s throat felt like twisted knots, and he found it was hard to breath. He moved by instinct, wiping with his fingers the tears and kissing every bit of Lovino’s face. 

Antonio had always known to be the shelter when Lovino was most vulnerable. It was easy to ignore that it was him who had caused that pain, because the cause was never as important as the soothing: right now, he focused on softness.

Lovino, soft and yielding, moved in synch with Antonio’s body and suddenly there was, lips on lips and hands in hair, Antonio moved, quick and familiar, straddling Lovino’s lap, kissing him. Passionately, tenderly. The tears flood again, wiped by Antonio’s hands, and whispers of promises that had already been broken.

Antonio was so hot.

Not just  _ hot  _ as Lovino had thought seeing him for the first time in the airport. Not hot as the first time they had made love, not hot in tight jeans and low-cut t-shirts.

Hot as the sun in the hottest day of summer.

Hot and maddening and blinding and merciless.

Hot as the sun in the middle of the desert with no place to hide.

Hot as the burning sand.

Clothes were peeled and teeth and nails left red marks on skin.

And in the end Antonio breathed heavily, his naked chest pressed against Lovino’s, hot and heavy and so close it felt they shared lungs and breaths and hearths.

But it couldn’t be true.

Because Lovino’s heart was broken in a way so personal it made him feel extremely lonely.

And yet even if Antonio didn’t care.

Who else could fill the hole Antonio would leave if he  _ left _ ?

Pushing him away was like pushing away the sea.

\---

Feliciano came back into the apartment pretty late, slightly drunk. He hoped Lovino was asleep, because he really didn’t want a scolding to ruin his perfect day, filled with wine and flowery gardens and a precious blond girl who found his portfolio extremely interesting. He also found a twenty euro bill on the sidewalk on his way home.

It was the best day.

The sight he found sobered him.

After he opened the door slowly and crept inside, he saw his brother and Antonio sitting on the kitchen table. Lovino had deep shadows under his red eyes, and he stared mindlessly to the untouched tomato soup in front of him. In one hand he held a spoon, and Antonio was holding the other. They both lifted their heads to look at him.

This was not good.

“Where were you?” grumbled Lovino, lifeless.

“I’m fine, I’m fine!” he said, rushing to his brother’s side. He hugged him tightly, kissed the top of his head. “Oh god, I’m sorry! My phone died! But I’m okay!” He stepped back and tapped himself on the chest and on the legs. “See? One piece!”

Lovino stared at him.

Feliciano felt a rush of guilt. “Oh, brother!” Feliciano dragged a chair and sat very close to Lovino, facing him. “I’m sorry I worried you! I should have called! I’ll never do that again!”

Lovino scanned his face, and a little life came back to him. “You smell of alcohol.”

“Wine! It’s wine.”

The two brothers looked at eachother, and saw themselves gaining some relief. Lovino ruffled Feliciano’s hair.

“Go bathe and sleep.”

“Yeah, yeah!” laughed Feliciano. He was so relieved he wasn’t in trouble. He looked at Antonio gratefully, probably he had been the one to convince Lovino not to kill him. “Are you guys okay now?”

Antonio said “Sort of.” at the same time Lovino said “No.”

“Oh.” said Feliciano, confused. Quickly he tried to change the subject. “I wish you hadn’t worried so much, brother. I can take care of myself, there is no need to…”

“Go bathe. And sleep.” repeated Lovino in a more stern tone.

Feliciano quickly raised from the chair, deciding to escape before Lovino had time to think and get mad at him for real, “Okay!”

Feliciano disappeared towards the hallway and Lovino felt Antonio’s hand squeeze his again. He let it happen.

“Aren’t we even a little bit okay now?” asked Antonio softly.

“After you called me a whore?” said Lovino, venomously.

Antonio squeezed tighter. “I’ve never, and I will never, call you that.”

“Saying I sleep with just anybody and saying I’m a whore is the exact same thing, Antonio.”

“It is  _ not _ . And I’m not saying that either.”

Lovino pulled his hand to get it off the grip, but Antonio held onto it. “You are my soulmate. It drives me crazy whenever I see some asshole next to you, because I know what they see in you: you are perfect. They will take you away.”

“They  _ who _ , Antonio? You are talking like a madman!”

“Men! Any man who sets eyes on you!”

“We have talked about this! Why aren’t you like this with women too, then?”

“Yeah, we have talked about this.” said Antonio slowly, with an odd certainty. “I know you won’t leave me for a woman.”

Lovino blushed, angry and embarrassed. Antonio had never understood why Lovino insisted on cataloguing himself as bisexual when he clearly… wasn’t.

“Fuck you.” said Lovino.

“I love you too much.” said Antonio.

Lovino looked at his phone. It looked nice and modern, and he had been meaning to replace the other one anyway. He had told his grandpa he had dropped it while walking down some stairs and texting.

“Is that why you took my phone and smashed it against the pavement?”

“Lovino... “ pleaded Antonio, softly.

“No, it wasn’t, right?” exclaimed Lovino sarcastically, snatching his hand from Antonio’s hold. “It was because I was texting fucking  _ Roderich _ !”

“You know Roderich! He is a big fucking asshole who likes to steal people’s partners!”

“Oh, fuck you so very much you fucking idiot! I do not even  _ like  _ Roderich, and you didn’t even ask  _ why  _ I was texting him!”

Feliciano peeked from the hallway, his hair wet. “Lovi?”

“Don’t worry, I’m gonna get rid of this trash soon!” exclaimed Lovino, breathing heavily.

He and Antonio looked at eachother, both had murder in their eyes. It was maddening and dizzying at the same time, how they went from tenderness to violence.

“Don’t fight, guys, please.” said Feliciano, before going back to his room.

“I think we better continue this conversation when we have privacy.” said Antonio, stone cold.

Lovino jumped from the chair, went to the door in a few quick and long steps, opened it wide. “Then, get the hell out of here.”

Antonio rose slowly, and walked deliberately towards the door. He stood uncomfortable, intimately close to Lovino while he grabbed his jacket from the hanger. Walking out the door he paused, turning his head sightly, and asked with barely contained anger. “Why were you texting that asshole?”

“He was is in my Economy class.” answered Lovino, trying not to show how much he wanted that that question had come way earlier. “We were put in a project together. By the teacher.” He thought for a second, and decided he was overexplaining. “Not that it’s any of your business.”

“Everything you do is my business.” said Antonio. He turned and looked at Lovino, and something seemed broken and sad inside of him, like a spring that it’s so wet that it drowns the flowers. Lovino tried very hard not to care. “You didn’t have to send back the money I gave you to buy a new phone.”

“I don’t want your fucking money.” snapped Lovino. “I wanted a proper apology, and you can’t even give me that.”

Antonio pressed his lips on a pained expression, and Lovino’s face couldn’t hold back surprise. Antonio’s voice was very small. “I’ve already apologized again and again.”

“Yours are empty words. I know you are not regretful, and I know you’d do it again.”

Antonio frowned, wiping his tears with the back of his hand. “You can’t know that.” He looked at Lovino and placed a hand on his shoulder. Then he kissed him.

Lovino pushed him away. “Go!”

Antonio looked and looked at him. Lost and lonely. Most people who knew him saw Antonio as a cheerful ray of sunshine, and not for the first time Lovino wondered why nobody else saw this infinite sorrow, why Antonio never showed it to anyone else. There was a time in which Lovino had thought of it as a privilege, to be the guardian of his secrets. 

Now these secrets were to heavy, and too terrifying.

“We’ll fix it.” said Antonio, and left.

Lovino closed the door.

\---

Lovino walked weakly towards his brother’s room. Feliciano lifted his head from his phone and looked at him, then moved to make space for Lovino on the bed. Lovino dropped facedown on the mattress.

He felt Feliciano patting his hair. “Your fights are so ugly.” he said. “Worse than the ones  _ nonno  _ and  _ nonna  _ had. If you love each other you should find a better way to fix your problems.”

“I don’t want to talk about it.”

“I love Antonio.” continued Feliciano. “It feels like he has been with us since forever. But I hate it when he makes you upset.”

“I  _ don’t  _ want to talk about it, Feli.”

“At last he was here to help you not be worried about me.”

Lovino felt a stab of guilt, for he had actually not been thinking about his brother at all. “Feliciano, talk about another thing or honest to God, I’m going to cry.”

Feliciano showed Lovino his phone screen. It was the picture of a beautiful person surrounded by pink flowers. It took him a minute to notice he knew that person.

“What are you doing stalking Kiku Honda’s instagram?”

“Oh, he’s so beautiful!” sighed Feliciano. “I love that whole androgynous, ageless look!”

Feliciano scrolled down and tapped on another picture. It was Honda sitting on a fountain, his blue scarf matching the color of the water. Full of curiosity, Lovino scrolled up to see his follower count. The number was absurdly high.

“In person he doesn’t look like the type of person to be an instagram influencer.” commented Lovino.

“You have met him?!” squeaked Feliciano. 

“Yeah.” said Lovino, annoyed, rubbing the ear that was closer to Feliciano. 

Feliciano’s eyes widened “Please, please, please tell me you are serious!”

“I’m telling you, damn it!” said Lovino, taking Feliciano’s phone. He thought for a second but he couldn’t remember Mei’s username, some anime reference. He typed Ludwig’s username, instead, for it was extremely boring  _ l.beilschmidt _ . He hadn’t seen Ludwig’s profile before, it was mostly pictures of sunsets, sunrises and small play doh sculptures. Interesting.

“Oh, there he is!!” shrieked Feliciano with the full potential of his lungs.

“Oh, Jesus Christ son of Mary and Joseph!” exclaimed Lovino, angling his head away from his brother. “Calm the fuck down, it’s just a boy!”

Feliciano tapped the picture that sparked his excitement, and he was practically vibrating with joy. It was Honda, probably mid-sentence, pointing at something in a pamphlet. There were two more, a selfie of Ludwig, and behind him, Honda speaking to a girl with a neck lanyard. Then another selfie, this time the two of them together looking defeated. The caption read  _ Lost at the con _ .

“What con?” asked Feliciano excitedly.

“Uh…” said Lovino, scanning his memories. “Uh… I think it was something about robotics.”

“Oh, he’s  _ pretty  _ and  _ smart _ ?”

“You ask like it’s something unusual. Don’t you know your brother is gorgeous and a genious?”

Feliciano ignored that, mooning over the pictures. “He never posts candid photos like these.”

“Now I want to ask him how much money he makes as an influencer.”

Feliciano jumped with exitement. “You have to introduce me to him!”

“Sometimes he is hanging out with Ludwig before we meet for study sessions, I’ll give him your number.”

“No, no, no!” begged Feliciano. “In person, I want to meet him in person! I’m much more charming in person!”

Lovino laughed at his brother’s puppy eyes. “Okay, I’ll think of something.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Please comment if you feel like it! I love long comments, small comments, or just "AAAAH" comments! It would brighten my whole week!

**Author's Note:**

> Comment if you feel like it, it would brighten my whole week!


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